A SERMON PREACHED AT ASHBY DE-LA-ZOUCH IN THE COUNTY OF LEICESTER: At the Funeral of the Truly Noble and Virtuous Lady ELIZABETH STANLEY one of the Daughters and Coheires of the Right Honourable FERDINAND late Earl of Derby and late Wife to HENRY Earl of Huntingdon the Fifth Earl of that Family. The 9 of February. Anno Dom. 1633. By I. F.  
LONDON. Printed by William jones dwelling in Red-crosse street. 1635.   

AN EPITAPH UPON THE EXCELLENT COUNTESS OF HUNTJNGDON.  

THE chief perfections of both Sexes joined,  
With neither's vice nor vanity combined.  
Of this our age the wonder, love, and care,  
The example of the following, and despair.  
Such beauty, that from all heart's love must flow:  
Such majesty, that none durst tell her so.  
A wisdom of so large and potent sway,  
Rome's Senare might have wished, her Conclave may.  
Which did to earthly thoughts so seldom bow,  
Alive She scarce was less in heaven, than now.  
So void of the least pride, to her alone  
These radiant excellencies seemed unknown.  
Such once there was: but let thy grief appear  
Reader, there is not: Huntingdon lies here.  
By him who says what he saw FALKLAND.    

A FUNERAL SERMON.  john. XI. XXV. He that Beleiveth in me though he were Dead yet shall he live. 
THE hopes of those which are strangers unto the Covenants of promise, cannot fix any settled aim, and expectancy beyond the short line of life: when that is drawn out unto the utmost point, Death at the best is apprehended by them, but as it was by Adrian, to be incerta Peregrinatio, a Race of very doubtful issue, doubtful whether in the end thereof, the head shall be crowned or cut off; so that of all men most miserable that they are, their hope is only in this life. Tantisper sperant dum spirant; But the hope of the children of the promise, doth not vanish into emptiness with their breath, etiam dum expirant sperant; Though there be no more breath in their mouths and their nostrils, yet their hope is laid up in their bosom. job 29. Though we die, yet saith Job, We know, that our Redeemer 
job. 29. 17.  liveth.  
Though we be hid and closed under the ground, like the seed in the garden bed, yet he whom Mary saw 
job. 20. 15.  like the Gardener, this Gardener, will look, that the seed shall have its spring again: He will, saith the Prophet, pour upon us a dew, like the dew of bearbes, and the earth shall yield forth 
Es. 16. 19  her dead And of thus much doth he here assure the sister of Mary, who was almost as deeply swallowed up of grief, as her deceased brother Lazarus was of the Grave. Comfort thyself Martha, he shall rise again; and doubt not Martha, I myself am the Resurrection, and the life, the issues of Death belong unto me. The keys of 
Psal. 68 20.  the Grave are at my Girdle, and he that believeth in me, Though he were dead yet shall he live.  
The words are in sum, a Stipulatio Conventionalis, consisting of a 

1. condition.  
2. promise.    
1. First, the Condition thus insinuated, He that believeth. 2. the promise thus proposed and pronounced, though he were dead yet shall he live.  
First, The Condition upon which the promise is suspended, is faith, that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that fullness of our hopes, that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that solace of our lives, as Philo calleth it, nay that our life itself, or at least that upon which our life lies; for by it the just shall live, or by nothing, He that believeth in me, and he only that believeth, he shall live.  
And here seeing this Action is so properly specified, by its object; we may observe, That the principal object of our faith, is God, considered in the unity of his essence and a Trinity of persons, and therefore in the Symbol of our belief, the Creed, is there a particular Credo, or at least the particle (in) premitted apart before every one of the three persons, importing, that upon them we fix, and build, our first assent, and assurance.  
As for those other subordinate principles of our faith, such as concern the Catholic Church, the Communion of Saints, these being but Creatures, are not assented unto for themselves, but for God, the uncreate, and first truth, and therefore have no such Credo, nor particle set apart before them, but only prefixed before one of the three persons.  
Now, this object of our faith is considered diversely; either, as the Act of belief and assent hath respect unto the understanding, and in that consideration, the object of faith is twofold, either formal, in which respect the Act of Faith is credere Deo, we believing God as the first truth, and for him fixing a settled assent upon all second and subordinate truths, they be the main Characters of divinity Power, and wisdom imprinted on them, apparently manifesting, the hand, the finger of the Lord to have written them.  
Or else it is material, and so the Act of faith is credere Deum; we that believe believe that God is, and that he is a rewarder of those that seek him.  
Or secondly, the object of faith is considered, as the Act of belief and assent hath respect unto the will moving the understanding to render its assent, and in this respect the Act of faith is Credere in Deum, as it is here delivered; for the will having pitched the end of all its hopes, in the goodness of this exceeding rich and precious promise uncessantly plyeth the understanding to give its assent to the truth of that which so much imports and concerns its peace and satisfaction.  
And these different considerations, do not import any such various difference of the Acts of faith, but rather signify the diverse respects of one and the same Act unto the object of faith.  
The sum of all may be collected thus. First, we believe that God is, and a rewarder of all those that seek him: 2. We believe his counsels and Covenants manifested, and dispensed unto us. 3. We believe in him, adhaere unto him, rely on him; our Soul being with absolute Complacency satisfied in him, cryeth out, Pars mea Dominus, It is enough the Lord is my portion, how then can I lack any thing? we give our assent unto his counsels, and Covenants, because we are assured that in what he delivereth, or promiseth, he is wise and cannot be deceived himself, he is faithful and will not deceive us; Though we discern a propension, and flexiblenesse in ourselves to waver with every contrary Air, yet let God be true, though all men 
Rom. 3.  be liars. The Egyptians as Aquinas notes adventured to make the promise alterable; I know not what feats they had, like unto those of their modern counterfeits, to play fast, and lose with such a firm, and sealed knot as this. But whatsoever they! we, saith the Apostle, believe what we know, and we know whom we have believed, and if we be deceived, certainly as the Prophet saith, Thou Lord hast deceived 
jer. 20.  us; But God for bid saith Abraham the father of all believers, that the judge of all the world, should not do righteously; And unto this well-grounded 
Gen: 17.  assent, succeeds our firm adhaerence unto the covenants of promise, by which we cleave unto, and close with our Redeemer in this manner.  
The proposition of the promise is furnished by the Gospel; The Redeemer died for those that are dead unto sin & rose again for the justification of them which are planted into the similitude of his resurrection. Now an assumption must be fitted unto the proposition by that assent which our understandings give unto the truth, and that adherence which our wills fasten upon the goodness of these exceeding rich and precious promises. If we be able thus to limit the general proposition, I am dead unto the world by the Cross of Christ, or I was dead, but now I am alive in jesus Christ, the conclusion will follow inevitably.  
I do not always expect in such a limitation certitudinem Evidentiae: where I find but certitudinem adhaerentiae, such a one as sometime feels some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some declinations and abatements of its firmness, and fervour. Even that faith howsoever it seem to come no nearer unto Christ then the very hem of his garment yet is able to derive virtue from him.  
Thus have I in a very narrow model represented unto you the whole figure of that grace, which gives us Title unto this promise. Give me then leave to question you, as the Apostle did Agrippa, Believest thou the prophets? Believe you in the Lord jesus? I would I could answer for all, as he did for Agrippa. I know that you believe.  
But this I know: Many will make a boast of faith (saith Solomon) but 
Prov. 20. 6.  where shall we find a faithful man? If you believe indeed, your faith will give evidence of itself by the exercise of an adhering and an apprehending virtue: By the first we are inserted into him; by the second we derive a quickening influence from him  
Dost thou then believe in the Lord jesus? show me then the power of the Lord jesus. The Angel gave a reason of his name, He shall be called jesus, saith he, for he shall save his people from their sins. But art thou yet in thy sins? I cannot then believe that thou believest: No! It is fitter for thee (according to that elegant observation of St. Bernard) to fear the name of Christ, then to be confident upon the name of jesus. It is fitter for thee in such a case to dread him as he is Christ, a King, a judge, then to presume upon him as he is jesus, a Saviour, a Redeemer.  
Dost thou believe in the death of jesus Christ? show me then the power of his death, whether it work in thee mightily, as it did in the Apostle to the subduing of every corrupt affection. Dost thou believe in his Resurrection? show me then the power of his resurrection, Resurrectio Christi habet virtutem in se, sed operationem in nobis, show me then what new effect it hath wrought, what new life it hath quickened in thee. No man came unto Christ, that went away in the same estate that he came in:  
Some came lame, and paralytic, and went back restored to the integrity of their limbs and strength; some came leprous and were dismissed clean some came blind and deaf, and went went away restored to the integrity of their senses, None were dismissed in the same estate wherein they came: And hast thou been so near unto Christ, as to say, I am in him, and of him, and yet art neither cleansed, nor enlightened, nor healed, who can believe it? Whatsoever thou boastest of believing, I cannot believe that thou believest at all, no certainly thou never wert so near him, as the very skirts of his clothing, thou never camest so near, as the very smell of the ointments of this our Aaron, If thou hadst certainly that name, which is as an ointment poured forth, that name, wherein thou pretendest to believe, would powerfully have healed all these wounds and sores, and swellings  
But dost thou indeed believe, and art able to give evidence thereof by such comfortable Testimonies, as are here implied? Then doubt not of the promise as Christ said unto Martha. Believest thou this? why than he that believeth in me, though he were dead yet shall he live; and so I pass from the condition, to the consideration of the promise suspended upon the condition, Though he were dead, yet shall he live. The labour of man in this life, is, to turn up the face of the Earth in the sweat of his own face, seeking for food and fuel in her bowels, and in the closing up of the weary day of his Travel, the earth receiveth man himself for a recompense into her bosom to fill up those wounds and rents, But the earth receieth back no more than it lent, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Naz: 
Nazian:   
The spirit breathed from above, returneth to God that gave it. Dissolutio 
Aug:  corporis, est Absolutio animae. As the snare being broken the Bird escapeth, so the body being dissolved, evadit intus inclusa Columba, our soul is escaped 
Col. 3. 1.  as a Bird out of the snare of the fouler; so that in our departure we suffer but aliquid mortis, not a whole death. Our life is not lost, but hid. The Serpent which hath the power of death can do no more, but manducare terram nostram, lick our dust; and indeed but lick it; devour it, consume it, annihilate it he cannot, there must still be ex defectione refectio, after a decay a reparation.  
The Earth indeed receiveth the dust back again, which it lent, but yet it receiveth it not as paid, but as lent; it must be given up, and returned back again; It receiveth our bodies to make up those wounds and wants, which partly our wants, partly our wantonness have made in her face, and womb; and it retaineth them for a recompense of her sufferings and losses, till in the general restoration, it self be restored. But then when itself is renewed, when there is a new heaven, and a new Earth what need hath the Earth to retain our bodies any longer for satisfaction? In that day Oh Earth, Earth, Earth, thou shalt hear the voice of the Lord, and render up thy dead, and even the dead themselves shall hear the voice of the son 
joh. 5. 25.  of God, and they that hear it shall live. This is the hope of Israel, and indeed the hope of all the world, after all those evils which press and persecute man to the last earthly evil death, there is yet this hope left in the botteme of the Grave, as in the bottom of Pandora's Box But it is but hope, not sight, and therefore the doctrine which concerned this hope, received such sleight entertainment; for whereas the Apostle saith, hope that is seen is not hope, clean contrary with him that looks only with the eye of nature, hope that is not seen, is no hope at all. Hope that is not founded upon the Evidence of reason is with him but a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a city in the clouds, a Castle in the air; hence was it that the doctrine of the Resurrection, amongst the Epicureans & pythagoreans of Athens was receved 
Act. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  but as a matter of mockery; though the judgement seat were in the Arcopagus, yet they sat down in the seat of scorners, not as judges of Paul's Sermon; But allowing that the Athenians had some reason to be ignorant, as perhaps, had they not so much reason, they would not have had so little faith.  
It is not strange that in the first 300. years after Christ, diverse even in Christ should gainsay this hope of all the world being spoilt through the same vain Philosophy. Many of those ages, having not seen any example of a Resurrection, but only received it upon relation and reading, began to scan the possibility of such a restoration according to the principles of Nature, & reason. It is well observed of Minutius non minoris est sceleris ignorare quamsaedere  
These men sin as highly by denying God's Power through their ignorance, as if by their disobedience they had resisted it: Malè Deum norunt qui illum putant non posse quod non putant; I may pronounce them ignorant which conceive, that God is able to do no more, than they are able in reason to conceive. But though they, though all the world gainsay this hope of all the world, yet this is the victory that overcometh all the world, even our faith: we will not draw all unto reason but leave something for faith.  
Our contemplation of matters of this strain which are above the comprehension of reason, and beyond the bounds of experience doth not arrive at knowledge but at wonder: which is nothing else but Contemplation broken off, or losing itself; It was aptly said by one of Plato's school, the sense of man resembleth the Sun, which openeth and reveileth the Terrestrial Globe, but obscureth and concealeth the Celestial, so doth the sense discover natural things, but darken, and shut up, those which are beyond the verge of nature: for all things proceeding in the Invention of knowledge is by similitude, but those things are only self like and have nothing in common with natural things otherwise then in shadow, and trope. Give therefore unto faith, that which unto faith belongeth; for indeed it is more worthy to believe then to think or know; considering that in knowledge the mind suffereth from the impression of inferior natures; but in all belief, the mind suffereth from a spirit which it holdeth superior, & more 
Aug.  authorised than itself; Nolumus igitur intelligere ut credamus, sed credereut inteligamus, we will not therefore seek to under stand that we may believe, but believe that it may be given us to understand  
The mystery of the Resurrection was delivered not by Pihlosophers, but by simple fishermen: and here the most subtle of us, must leave to be disputants, and learn to be disciples. And yet if any list to dispute, let me ask as St. Paul did, why should it seem an impossible thing, to raise up one that is dead? It was well argued by the jew Pesisa, Si quod fuit, est, ergo, quod fuit erit. whether is it harder to restore a body mouldered into the dust from whence it was taken, then to create all things out of nothing! Is it thought impossible in nature? why, nature herself is a mistress able enough to inform us of the contrary. Operibus Resurrectionem perscripsit antequam literis, viribus praedicavit antequam vocibus: se we not the vicissitudes of night and day, the revolutions of winter and summer, the rising and setting of the Stars, the wane and increases of the Moon, the Quickening of the dead grain under the Clod, to bear a lively resemblance of this Restoration.  
The whole Creation which groans for the general resurrection, practiseth a yearly, a monthly, yea a daily Resurrection in its several parts. And all this for Man! And shall man only not rise, for whom all these things rise in their periods and seasons? what should withhold him from being restored? The powers of the grave are shaken, and disabled, Christ himself hath broken open the Gates thereof, and loosed his Prisoners from the brinks of the pit: death itself hath by his last conflict received its death's wound: he had foiled it before, by the ministry of his servants, by Eliah recalling the Sarephtans' son, by Elisha recovering the Shunamits' son. So David foiled his enemies of Ammon by the valour of his servants joab, and Abisha, but himself was fain 
2 Sam 12.  to appear before Rabbah for the perfecting of the victory and conclusion of the war; so the Son of David appeared personally to give his Enemy the last stroke to swallow up death in an utter victory. The victory is thus atcheived. Death itself though he be the King of fear, and have as many Provinces of his dominion, as there be pains, perils and snares of death, yet hath no more dominion over us, than what our sin betrayeth us unto. The arrows of death are fledged with the feathers which grow upon our own wings. Now therefore if we conceive man to be without sin, death hath no more dominion over him: Death then having seized upon our Saviour, who was without stain or guilt, it was found equal in the judgement of God, that it should lose all power over us that were sinful, because it exercised a power which it had not over him that was innocent. For in regard of the injury offered unto him and patiently sustained by him, God adjudged him all power over him that had the power of death, giving him liberty to restore unto liberty the Prisoners of the Grave.  
And indeed he hath reason thus to restore them, for according to that of Bernard, Christus solus resurrexit, sed non totus; Christ alone is risen, but all Christ is not risen, till all that are of, and in Christ be risen likewise. Thus though other Graves be the houses of death, this of Christ is unto us, (now the stone is removed from it) the Gate of everlasting life; Although death be the king of fear yet we see of his kingdom there is an end, he reigned indeed under the law, but now the Sceptre of righteousness is transferred unto one, of whose kingdom there is no end. And observe the procession and Pomp of his Triumph over his vanquished foe: Death, saith the Prophet, shall go before his face pale and trembling as a Prisoner before his Triumphal chariot. He saith no longer now as he did once, O Death, I will be thy Death, It is not seasonable to threaten now, death hath already felt his vanquishing arms, he spareth not now therefore to reproach him with this glorious insultation, O death where is thy Sting? O grave, where is thy victory? Since thou didst once lose thy sting upon mine innocency, I have taken away the sins of the world, so that now thou canst not fit thyself with any new sting, to wound either me, or mine. Thus death itself is dead, and the dead live again; death is swallowed up, and the dead are rendered up: this is the hope of humaneflesh: but he must be more than flesh, whosoever attaineth to the end of this hope, for flesh and blood shall never inherit the 
1 Cor. 15.  kingdom of heaven.  
As there is a flesh which shall see the salvation of God, so there is a flesh 
Es. 52. Es. 4. 1 Thes. 4. 17  which is as grass. Grass which groweth to day, and tomorrow perhaps is to be cast into the furnace, there to be tormented in aeterno Dei, because it sinned in aeterno suo. During the eternal pleasure of God, because of its own eternal pleasure it took in displeasing of God; As there are some qui rapientur in occursum, so there are some qui convertentur retrorsum. Those which have turned their backs unto me, and not their face, those shall be 
Ps. 9 17.  turned backward. They shall rise again, but it shall be for their greater depression. Their bodies shall be delivered from the first death, but it shall be to be delivered up unto the second death, their souls and bodies shall be united, but both divided from God, in such manner that they shall wish the body had been rather extinguished, then thus united. Sed ad augmentum 
Gr●g.  tormenti, ut hic de corpore nolens educitur, itidem et illic in corpore tenetur in vitus. To aggravate the vengeance, as here the soul parted out of the body against its will; so there it's held in the body against its will. Marvel not at it, though 〈◊〉 be de suo optomus, yet he is de nostro justus. As he is gracious by the 
Tertull:  propriety of his nature; so he is just for the necessity of the cause. And it is equal and just, that if we taste of the sweetness of sin against the will of God, we shall taste of the bitterness of punishment against our own will. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. etc. It is equal if we be here subjected unto that evil one, that we should hereafter be possessed of him, saith that excellent Homilist 
Hom:  Macarius. If we make our bodies Prostibula and not Templa, rather Temples of Chemosh and Ashtaroth then Domus patris mei, they will become rather blocks of hellfire than Pillars in the Temple and the Courts of the house of our God. Let us therefore spare our Bodies (my beloved) and not use them as if they were borrowed garments, we must give accounts of things done in them. And as the scars of wounds, so the scars of sins will appear therein after death, which will be Characters of evidence plain enough to testify their unnobleness of Glory, let us therefore here seek to take them away, by taking the 
Cyrill. catech. 18.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by being washed, by being sanctified here. Would we so rise from death, that we may not sink into the second death, let us remember, that Corpora nostra huic Resurrectioni per Regenerationem Spiritus 
Tertull:  inaugurantur, Our bodies must be here entitled unto the Resurrection of glory, by the Resurrection of Grace.  
Nature exposeth us all dead, dead in the uncircumcision of the flesh, dead in the dead works of the flesh; Man, who had not known sin, should have felt no power of death in his Body, by sin contracted a death even of his soul, for as the soul is the life of the body, so is grace the life of the Soul; As then when the soul departeth the body dies, so Grace having abandoned the soul, the spirit itself is dead. And how many do we discern every where, in whom the tokens of this death are sensibly apparent, men dead in themselves, only Satan moveth in them, Satan walketh in them, so that they move but like prodigies, like the bodies of those which Satan is said to make use of for the atcheiving of his wicked illusions. St. Aug: observes three sorts of dead persons whom Christ raised up unto life, representing three distinct sorts of his spiritual death: first the daughter of the Ruler of the Synagogue, which was dead in the house, resembling those that are dead-hearted, senseless of the impressions of life & grace, such as sit as dead in these Assemblies, as if we were preaching at their funerals.  
Secondly, The young man which was carried out of the Gates of Natin, resembling those whose hearts and hands are engaged in the outward practice of the dead works of the flesh  
Thirdly, Lazarus that had lain long putryfying in the grave representing those that have lain from the very womb, overwhelmed with the body of death and overset with a cloud of ignorance, & insensibleness so many dead in all these conditions and degrees do we observe every where that we have reason to wish as jeremy did: oh that our eyes were as Rivers of water, that we might weep for the dead, for the slain of our people, now then oh wretched men that we are, who shall deliver us from the body of this death? If we be raised, we must be raised by the voice, and virtue of the same Christ which raised up these he that in the Gospel bade the young man, arise, must by his Gospel bid the new man arise in us. As we are summoned unto the second Resurrection, by the voice of an Archangel, so are we here unto this, by the voice of the Angel of the covenant, in the mouths of the angels of the churches, the ministers. & here both that voice which sounded from mount Sinai, and that which sounded from mount Zion, have their part in the action. The law startleth, the Gospel awaketh & quickeneth us. Christ sent the law by his servant, as Elisha sent his staff, by which yet the dead child was not raised up till Elisha himself came in person. The terrors of the law quicken in us so much sense, as may make us sigh for our restoration, the refresh of the gospel quicken in us so much light, & life as to make us see and run into the arms of our Restorer The law seems to remove the stone from the mouth of our hearts, as it was removed from the mouth of Lazarus Sepulchre; but the voice of Christ in the Gospel sumoneth us to awake & arise that he may give us light, wherein we may be enabled to know & follow him, that hath visited us, & done so great things for us & now I would that we had made such an advantage of our Attention, to that powerful voice, that I might have occasiont 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after a visible, & evident Resurrection to lose you, as Lazarus was, from the bonds of the Grave, or to say with the father of the prodigal, lo these my sons were dead, but now they live: we were dead saith the Apostle, but now we are alive in jesus Christ, now we feel the pulse of spiritual life beat in the Arteries of our faith, which assureth us that our life is prepared for us; of our hope which is resolute that it is preserved for us; of our love, which upon these well-grounded persuasions, is continually running in a cheerful prosecution and chase thereof. My beloved though we have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 earth to our father and dust to our Sire, yet let us not have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dust-creeping souls: surely our hope is higher than the dust, let our conversation then be as high as our hope is. Though we be made of the earth, yet we are not made for the Earth. We may observe, that he that requires the erection of our affections, doth with great jealousy withdraw from us all those ensnarements upon which they may fasten here below. He is such a Bridegroom, as will not that we prefer the king before himself; this circle the world, before the compass of his Arms. All these counterfeit delights, which this empty dust is able to yield us, they are as of purpose, made either not to relish at all with us, by reason of their shortness and fleetingnesse, or to distaste us by the admixture of some calamity and Bitterness: for if we will be children in understanding instead of being children in Innocency, if we will still be sucking here, we must be used as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 great babes, we must have the breast be smeared and soured, to wean out childish longing from it.  
But the withdrawing of any of these earthly things from us, doth not so much withdraw us from the Earth as the calling away of those deare-ones in whose blood, or love we have any interest, the wives of our youths, the children of our delight. These are they with whom we rejoiced and they being gone, the remainder of our life seems bitter unto us, and we think with ourselves, what further use is there of us? or what portion have we left upon the Earth? we cry like children, that have their delights and rattles taken from them. And at last as when the nurse makes the child believe she hath laid them in the Cradle to sleep, the child cries to sleep likewise, that he may be near them: so we when our dear ones are laid down and composed in their beds of dust, we are weary of waking any longer, our eyes grow as heavy as our hearts, we see nothing to rejoice in, or take comfort in; we desire as jacob, to go down to the grave to our sons, we desire to sleep by the sides of our beloved ones, that with them we may awake again, after the likeness of him who layeth us and them unto our rest, and shall raise us again unto our refreshing.  
Thus should ye (Right Honourable) look after this renowned Lady, who is now composed unto her rest in the Bed of Earth; suspiring and longing after the same refreshing, the same hope that hope which is now no longer hope with her but sight and sense, & possession itself. But if you would have your soul find the same rest with hers, let your soul seek it as she did. If with her you would find the kingdom of God seek with her the Righteousness thereof.  
Let us awhile look into the Grave with which these dear ashes are entrusted, for in that house 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Septuagint reads that of Eccles: 13. Though the Grave be the house of death, yet we 
Septuag.  shall derive from hence, an example of a gracious life, and of such a death as undoubtedly ushers in a glorious life.  
Anciently there were great treasures hid in the Sepulchers of great ones, & if we look into this we shall find a treasure too, a treasure of rich example to us all.  
As she was derived of a very noble princely extraction, so she ennobled herself much more by endeavouring to assure herself of her regeneration and adoption, than by her birth. That was the honour by which she valued herself, and indeed the true and genuine Honour of you all, Right Honourable. He that called Abraham father was everlastingly accursed because 
Luke. 16.  God was not his father. It is a good observation of Philo, upon that of Gen: 6. These are the Generations of Noah, Noah was a just man and walked with God. etc. Moses, saith he, setting down Noah's Genealogy instead of recounting his Ancestors, reckoneth his virtues. It were easy for me to name many noble names like unto these, to prove that nobility by which she esteemed herself principally honoured. She had a mind of a most excellent composure, of a noble & generous height, but attempered with an admirable sweetness, and humility, so that I may affirm, that she made use of the greatness of her Spirit in nothing so much, as either in the magnanimous contempt of unworthy injuries, (for some such were aimed at her though none could fasten, her virtue had so Oiled her name, that no Ink would stick upon it) or else in the patient tollerating of worldly occurrences, and afflictions, and of them she made this happy advantage that as a thread besmeared with any filth, must be drawn through some narrow hole for the clearing of it, so the pressure of some afflictions seemed to clear her from many corruptions, through which nature, & custom, and fashion and greatness, do yet draw the lines of others lives.  
Her understanding was of great perspicacity, and as she failed not to employ the same for the comprehending of such occasions and affairs, as might advantage & sustain the estate of her house, and procure and reinforce the content and comfort of her noble Lord: So principally she directed the strength thereof for the enabling herself with the knowledge of the mysteries of Redemption, her delight was in the law of God, she was an unwearied reader of the Oracles of Gods sacred word, she that aimed at a living again though she must die, sought not the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, which made us all obnoxious to die, but the Tree of the knowledge of God, which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Tree of life itself, as Thala●ius calls it in Biblioth. Patrum. And as she had the knowledge of truth to give light unto her Religion, so she had the truth of Religion, to give life unto her knowledge. I make no doubt but the State thereof hath been much advanced, by her instruction and encouragement in this house, which hath been long honoured, for honouring of God. It hath pleased her Lord more than once to make profession, not only what refreshing her comforts, what support her Counsels have brought him, but now much he hath in the estate of the mind been bettered by her.  
I am persuaded, they have been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yoke-fellowes in this work, & I trust they shall be hereafter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fellow heirs of one and the same Grace. From him, and herself, she made a diffusion of her goodness to all hers, educating them in such purity, and inocency, as is admirable, in those, who (I know not how) are liable to be betraved by their Births and fortunes unto great depravations, and exorbitancies, so that we may say of her as Greg: Naz: said of his Sister Gorgonia, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 
Nazian.   
She made the fruit of her Body, to become the fruit of the spirit. And of the same goodness there was a proportionable diffusion amongst those that depended on her. How many that lived near her, hath the Elixir of the same goodness, rendered of the same quality, and property? her charity and Courtesy was large and open unto all. I name these as strictures of that fire of zeal, which she had to goodness. She was not like those which esteem themselves only members, and others but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apostems congenite and connatural parts with themselves, her zeal was far from being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a bitter zeal, such as we see in some, like a salt-light, which burns indeed but spits withal; while she had health she made advantage thereof thus to demean herself, not deferring the taking up of good purposes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 etc. Greg: Naz: till the artless Physician takes upon him to 
Greg: Naz:  dispense what hours of life and continance he pleaseth unto us, weighing us out either sickness or health with his severe-rod, and commonly discoursing and concluding of the disease that brought death, after death itself. But the greatest part of her life was a Parasceve, a preparation to her dissolution, as if she had been sensible, that as Christ died upon the parasceve, the day of preparation; so none have any advantage by the death of Christ, but those which premit such a preparation before their own death, and dissolution. Is it not admirable that she who had run through some hard lessons, in the School of affliction, loved the rod so, for the healing, and sanctifying benefit, which she found in it, that it was her frequent prayer, that God would be pleased when he called her hence, he would be pleased to call her by a consumption, rather than by any other way. And accordingly it was so: she conceived, that many had been shaken with the whirlwind of a convulsion, and perhaps the Lord God was not in that wind: many consumed with the fire of adustion and choler, & perhaps the Lord God was not in that fire: but whereas many have been summoned away by the still soft voice of consumption, the Lord God is frequently in that voice. And certainly the Lord supported her, the Lord perfected his strength in her weakness, for she sustained that affliction with such admirable moderation, with such strength and vigour of spirit that if any man had entered her Chamber, if he had not read the truth of her sufferings in the decays and weakness of her person, he would have thought there had been none sick there; whatsoever she suffered, there was nothing in her mouth, but thanks to that gracious hand which lay so light upon her, and made her suffer no more.  
As before, so in her sickness especially, it was her uncessant practice, to commend herself continually unto God, and that in the most conceived, and feeling forms in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Words winged with affection, and zeal not like those Ostriches wings wherewith our sluggish devotions are usually fledged, which as the ostriches make a fair offer at flying toward heaven, but are held down by the grossness of their bodies, so howsoever we seem to soar, yet are we restrained by our carnal heaviness. But her words were winged so, as to carry her spirit there where her hope was, far above the reach of Satan, though he be planted high too, as high as a Prince of the air So that no marvel if her spirit during her last affliction, were in such a composed settledness, it was out of the enemies reach. She was not in the air liable to be shaken with Tempests, and winds, but even in heaven itself, which cannot be turmoiled with any such agitations. She used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to seal up her bosom against temptation by continual prayer, so that Satan durst not attempt her, seeing what impression seeing whose Image, and superscription, she bore; Hence was that often comfortable profession, how firm and steadfast she found her faith! yet she was jealous of herself because she seemed to find no greater measure of sorrow in herself when she looked back from her future to her former life: Put she ever used to accuse her want of sorrow with such a measure of sorrow, as well witnessed the truth thereof. For this respect she did with exceeding diligence search, and with great judgement choose, whatsoever the Scripture could afford her for the establishing of her Spirit, and the building up of her assurance in the Lord jesus, committing with her own hand, even in ●●at weakness, to writing what she had observed, and continuing that practice till within very few days before her death, before which she became most peaceably settled, and resolved, that God according to that of Greg: Naz: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 
Greg: Naz:  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God desireth that our hearts should be pricked, but not stabbed through; And her faith being thus strengthened, and established, by continual prayer and hearing, and by frequent communicating that Sacrament which Ignatius calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 she preserved it in such strength and vigour, that the day of 
Ignatius.  her dissolution, I coming to her, she professed, that whatsoever her sufferings were, yet she did nothing but clasp herself about her-sweet Saviour. And again the same day, I see Satan hover over me, but though he be the Prince of the Air (they are her own words) yet he doth but hover like a bird in the Air not being able to seize upon me, I still feel the advantage. And thus she passed as she was passing away, in the same calm behaviour that she had ever showed, rendering herself into the Arms of her redeemer: And she having lived thus, and died thus, now she is dead, shall we think she doth not live; No no! It is not impertinent what I have read in Spartian of Hadrian. Signa mortis 
Epus: de char: chap: 27.  haec habuit. Annulus sponte de digito delapsus est, but the Ring of faith as Bernard calls it, never slipped from her, she took it with her, to be married for ever in it, unto the Lamb, who hath graven her in the palms of his hands, and hath set her as a Scale upon his Arm there to remain for ever. Unto which honour the Lord with her bring us all that we may so live, & so die, & then so live for ever, without dying any more  
Amen.  
FINIS.   

PErlegi hanc concionem funebrem in Cap. 11. St. joha 1. ver. 25. in quâ nihil reperio bonis moribus, aut savae doctrinae contrarium quo minus cumutilitate publicâ imprimatur; ita tamen, ut si non intra tres menses proximè sequentes typis mandetur, haec licentia sit omninò irrita.  
Prid: Calend. junii. 1635 Guil: Bray.